Animal Husbandry – Penny Posthttps://pennypost.org.uk
Community News for West Berkshire, Wantage, Swindon & MarlboroughFri, 24 May 2019 18:23:25 +0000en-GBhourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=5.0.4https://pennypost.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PennyPostFavicon.pngAnimal Husbandry – Penny Posthttps://pennypost.org.uk
323260160447Advice about ticks from Julie & Alan at Oscar Pet Foodhttps://pennypost.org.uk/2019/05/advice-about-ticks-from-julie-alan-at-oscar-pet-food/
https://pennypost.org.uk/2019/05/advice-about-ticks-from-julie-alan-at-oscar-pet-food/#respondThu, 23 May 2019 15:19:58 +0000https://pennypost.org.uk/?p=36359Did you know: a single female tick can lay several thousand eggs at a time? it can take up to 3 years for the adult tick to develop? tick saliva contains anaesthetic? So your pet will not feel the bite & neither will you. How to Detect Ticks on your Pet Starting at your pet’s […]

tick saliva contains anaesthetic? So your pet will not feel the bite & neither will you.

How to Detect Ticks on your Pet

Starting at your pet’s head work down the body searching for lumps on the surface of the skin. If detected part the hair to look more closely. NEVER ATTEMPT TO BURN, CUT OR PULL A TICK OFF OF THE SKIN, AS PARTS WILL BE LEFT BEHIND.

How to prevent ticks attaching themselves to your pet

Regular grooming will help to prevent ticks plus there are a variety of ways to help deal with ticks :-

Tick Away Spray – this is a very handy pocket sized sprays that you can carry with you when out. It’s a non-insecticidal product and when used freezes the tick causing it to drop off within a few hours, without any discomfort to the dog or the owner. If the tick is still there after 3 hours it should be easy to remove with a ‘tick pen’ or tweezers.

Flea & Tick Drops – these offer protection from ticks for upto 4 weeks for dogs (and at the time of treatment in cats), ticks will not attach themselves to your pet. Apply between the shoulder blades & at the base of the tail. It will take several hours for the product to work its way through the whole coat. The effectiveness of the product is reduced if the dog gets very wet, from swimming to being bathed. NOTE do not use the dog spot-on on cats and NEVER use either product on rabbits or guinea pigs.

Flea & Tick Collar – Only suitable for dogs over 3 months old. This is a waterproof collar that will kill ticks and prevent re-infestation for upto 4 months. It will take several hours for the product to work through the whole coat. Never use on a dog that is nursing puppies. If the dog shows signs of skin irritation, drowsiness, listlessness or respiratory problems then remove immediately. (Oscar do not sell tick collars for cats so we are unable to provide any information)

Don’t take our word for the effectiveness of the tick drops, here’s what one satisfied customer had to say:

Last summer started out as a very bad tick year. I was removing ticks after almost every walk. Enter Julie from Oscar’s with her tick prevention. It was like magic! No more ticks! I realised how well it worked when one tick appeared, which reminded me I had forgotten to apply it after a month (it had been about 5 weeks). Another application and all good again. Very highly recommended

Lyme Disease

This will only be transmitted if you are bitten by an infected tick, so most bites go un-noticed. For more information about this disease please visit www.healthline.com/health/lymedisease

Alan & Julie Parry, your local Oscar franchisees sell a range of tick removal and protection products for your dogs & cats. Not only that but they’re on hand to answer any questions or queries you may have.

]]>https://pennypost.org.uk/2019/05/advice-about-ticks-from-julie-alan-at-oscar-pet-food/feed/036359How to keep your dog a happy bunny this Easter – top tips from pet nutritionist Julie at Oscar Pet Foodhttps://pennypost.org.uk/2019/04/how-to-keep-your-dog-a-happy-bunny-this-easter/
https://pennypost.org.uk/2019/04/how-to-keep-your-dog-a-happy-bunny-this-easter/#respondWed, 10 Apr 2019 15:04:29 +0000https://pennypost.org.uk/?p=34810We love all the human treats at Easter but please remember they are not treats for animals – quite the opposite. Chocolate Easter egg hunts are great fun for the children but please remember they are risky for our precious pooches. If your pooch is anything like our Racso, they will eat anything and more […]

We love all the human treats at Easter but please remember they are not treats for animals – quite the opposite.

Chocolate

Easter egg hunts are great fun for the children but please remember they are risky for our precious pooches.

If your pooch is anything like our Racso, they will eat anything and more if given the chance. The temptation to steal when he knows he shouldn’t is just too much for him. (You should see the way he sits very still and hangs his head in shame when you look at him if he’s been bad…)

So, we must make sure that all those delicious chocolates that are bad his health are kept well out of his way, and that includes, most importantly at this time of year, Easter Eggs.

So why is this the case?

Chocolate contains theobromine & is toxic to dogs, cats, rodents & rabbits causing vomiting, diarrhoea, hyperactivity & in severe cases convulsions, cardiac failure & death. This can occur as quickly as four to six hours after ingestion. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. Baking chocolate is the worst because it contains the highest amount of theobromine. A potentially lethal dose is only 500g of chocolate in a 7 kilo dog.

So, what should you do if you think your pet has eaten chocolate? Contact your vet immediately.

We all want to treat our pets, its only natural, but let’s make it a delicious treat designed especially for them, one that they’ll love and you can feed knowing they are going to love it and you. And please make sure all the eggs are collected after your Easter egg hunt this year so that wildlife and pets don’t find them.

Hot Cross Buns

Also, those lovely hot cross buns, we love them but please remember that raisins & sultanas can cause kidney failure in dogs.

Good Treats for Animals

The dog/cat is part of the family and it’s only natural that we would want to treat them this Easter as well as treating the children to yummy Easter eggs, so our advice is to give them some yummy treats of their own, specially designed with their digestion in mind.

But remember always check the label, to ensure you know what you’re feeding. Avoid coloured treats as these may contain artificial colours, avoid treats with additives and if you don’t understand any ingredients listed then steer clear as you may not know what they contain.

]]>https://pennypost.org.uk/2019/04/how-to-keep-your-dog-a-happy-bunny-this-easter/feed/034810Paddock Maintenance Tipshttps://pennypost.org.uk/2019/03/paddock-maintenance-tips-2/
https://pennypost.org.uk/2019/03/paddock-maintenance-tips-2/#respondTue, 05 Mar 2019 15:30:00 +0000http://pennypost.org.uk/?p=24301Six top paddock maintenance tips from Jim at Broadmead Estate Services. A good maintenance programme needs to be thought out and planned ahead in order to be able to carry out the various types of work at the optimum time of year. • As spring is finally arriving, it’s time to start thinking about harrowing, […]

A good maintenance programme needs to be thought out and planned ahead in order to be able to carry out the various types of work at the optimum time of year.

• As spring is finally arriving, it’s time to start thinking about harrowing, rolling, over-seeding where required and applying fertilizer where needed to give your grass the best chance of looking healthy throughout the year.

• Also in the late spring and early summer, herbicide applications are often needed to control weeds such as thistles, nettles, docks and ragwort. (An ATV-mounted weed wiper will apply herbicide directly to the target weeds without having to do an overall spray.)

• Many paddocks will also need ‘topping’ at this time of year to help maintain a healthy grass sward.

• As the summer arrives and the ground becomes dry and firm, machinery can access the land without causing damage to the ground, so it is an ideal opportunity to replace and repair all types of paddock fences and gates before the onset of the winter rain, wind and mud.

• Looking ahead to the early autumn, September sees the start of the hedge-cutting season. As with the paddocks and fences, it’s best to get this done before the ground becomes too wet and muddy.

• Autumn is also an ideal time to carry out both over-seeding and new seeding of paddocks and grass fields to regenerate and enhance the grass sward.

Broadmead Estate Services can help with all of these tasks should you wish – our wide range of equipment, suitable materials and experienced staff are at your disposal. Please get in touch if you need to discuss this or any other estate-maintenance issue.

]]>https://pennypost.org.uk/2019/03/paddock-maintenance-tips-2/feed/024301Who’s a Famous Boy Then?https://pennypost.org.uk/2019/01/whos-famous-boy/
https://pennypost.org.uk/2019/01/whos-famous-boy/#respondWed, 09 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000http://pennypost.org.uk/?p=29877Local rescue parrot Rocco, an African Grey, has become a media sensation when a story went viral about his affinity with his foster carer’s Alexa. Rocco came to the Trindledown NAWT animal rescue and rehoming centre at Great Shefford last Autumn and was soon fostered by junior animal care leader, Marion Wischnewski. Rocco had impressed […]

]]>Local rescue parrot Rocco, an African Grey, has become a media sensation when a story went viral about his affinity with his foster carer’s Alexa.

Rocco came to the Trindledown NAWT animal rescue and rehoming centre at Great Shefford last Autumn and was soon fostered by junior animal care leader, Marion Wischnewski.

Rocco had impressed staff at the centre with his extraordinary vocabulary and mimicking skills but after going to his new home cheeky Rocco really excelled himself when he started placing orders using Marion’s Alexa!

“I soon realised I have to check the shopping list when I come in from work and cancel all the items he’s ordered,” explains Marion. “So far I’ve had to remove a light bulb, some berries, a kite, ice-cream, a well, strawberries, fuses, butter, dogs, a knife, bin bags, a water melon, hair, raisins, broccoli, water, a man and Ryan (whoever that is).”

Rocco Goes Viral

“One of my staff has a press background, “ explained centre manager Tracy Waldron, “So she sent the story to the Newbury Weekly News hoping it might get picked up by the nationals.

“To say it did is an understatement! Within 48 hours it was the top story on websites all over the world, from Germany to Taiwan. At one point, the day after the story broke, we were the top trending story on Fox News in America.”

Marion and Rocco have been in constant demand by newspapers, radio and TV shows since the story broke.

“It’s all been a bit of a blur,” said Marion. “We have been very surprised by just how far the story has gone and I’ve lost count of all the people I’ve spoken to. It’s been completely surreal. This morning an old school friend contacted me from Germany to say I was in the German press.

“Rocco has coped very well on the whole but we did have to call time on a shoot a couple of days ago as he was beginning to get stressed. It was just so long. The photographers were trying to get him to do things and I could see that he’d had enough. He had started shaking and he pulled a couple of feathers out so I decided that was enough. Nobody’s stressing my little man!”

“As Rocco says himself “I’ll call you back later!”.”

Manager Tracy hopes the coverage will initiate further interest in the animal centre and bring in donations, but there have been downsides as well dealing with all the press.

“Some members of the press managed to get hold of Marion’s home phone number, “ she explained “so we had to put a call screening system in place and she couldn’t answer her mobile.

“Also – because Rocco doesn’t perform well to strangers it was quite hard to get the footage we needed for the press. In the end we had to install a secret camera. We were also a bit concerned that some of the journalists had ‘coloured’ the story to make it sound like we had actually thrown Rocco out of the centre because of his bad language. Nothing could have been further from the truth! We will continue to look after Rocco all his life, like all the animals we help.”

Trindledown NAWT Animal Welfare Centre

If you would like to find out about all the characterful animals living at Trindledown, many of whom are looking for forever homes, please contact them at nawt.org.uk/centres/berkshire

If you like animals and working with friendly people in a peaceful, outdoor environment, Trindledown is always looking for volunteers. For more details, pop in to see them any day or call them on 01488 638584

]]>https://pennypost.org.uk/2019/01/whos-famous-boy/feed/029877My Cat Diary by Nimbus – Week 4https://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/6573/
https://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/6573/#commentsMon, 13 Aug 2018 23:00:00 +0000http://pennypost.wpengine.com/?p=6573Tuesday 26 January My new friend Alan from Oscars came back today. He brought that funny board with the light on it which I have to sit on. Apparently it says whether I’m fat or not. I don’t think I’m fat. Even so, if they think I am it’ll be bad news for me. I […]

He brought that funny board with the light on it which I have to sit on. Apparently it says whether I’m fat or not. I don’t think I’m fat. Even so, if they think I am it’ll be bad news for me. I do love eating so.

Here we go…I’m not sure I can bear to look…

Crikey – 85 kilos? Obviously I am a fatty. No food for a month.

Maybe it’s because I was jumping on the scales – even so…

Look, if he tries to put me on an even stricter diet, so help me god I’ll bite his hand off…

Phew – 5.8 kilos! I was reading the numbers the wrong way up. And I missed out the decimal point.

If I crane my neck round I can see that now. Silly me!

You might think it pretty amazing that, being a cat, I can read numbers at all. Hard work, kids, that’s the answer. Work hard, play hard, eat hard, that’s my motto. Particularly eat hard. That’s the main bit.

Actually, 5.8 kilos is pretty good. Even Mrs Vet should be impressed. Three weeks ago I was 6.2 kilos which means I’ve lost…er…anyway, I’m less fat. That’s the point.

They give me and my brother some high-energy food in the morning so then we can go out and run up trees and chase mice. Then at night I get low-energy food which makes us go to sleep. Dad keeps us in at night because otherwise we go out and get into fights and cause havoc. Anyway, it’s cold outside at night. And dark. Who does he think we are – animals?

I must go now and snooze…and as it’s going to be while till our next meal (Mum is annoyingly organised now with the new food bucket) I’m hoping to dream of Oscars…

]]>https://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/6573/feed/26573Chicken Keeping Tips for Januaryhttps://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/chicken-keeping-tips-january/
Mon, 13 Aug 2018 23:00:00 +0000http://pennypost.wpengine.com/?p=4146Now it’s all a bit bleak and the chicken run is looking a bit sad its a good time to look into maybe moving the chicken house to a new position, even for a short period, so you can repair any damage to the ground. If your run is muddy (and a bit smelly) you […]

]]>Now it’s all a bit bleak and the chicken run is looking a bit sad its a good time to look into maybe moving the chicken house to a new position, even for a short period, so you can repair any damage to the ground. If your run is muddy (and a bit smelly) you can dig it over to bring the drier soil to the surface. We also spray Jeyes Fluid disinfectant over the soil and dig it in to sterilise it. Please note if you’re near a river or pond that Jeyes Fluid is toxic for aquatic organisms. Some people prefer to use white vinegar as a disinfectant.

If you want to repair the surface before reseeding, add some new soil (from Garden Centres or a handy mole hill!). Once repaired you can sow some new grass seed ready for the warmer weather when it will germinate. Grass seed is normally harmless to hens but please always read the label. Happy clucking!

]]>4146Rescue Donkeys in Lambournhttps://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/rescue-donkeys-lambourn/
https://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/rescue-donkeys-lambourn/#commentsMon, 13 Aug 2018 23:00:00 +0000http://pennypost.wpengine.com/?p=20249Ned and Jeremy, 9 years old and 8 years old respectively, are rescue donkeys from Ireland. There were found abandoned and tied up in a shelter in the dark with neither food nor water. The Elizabeth Svendson Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, Devon became aware of their plight and brought them to the sanctuary in England […]

]]>Ned and Jeremy, 9 years old and 8 years old respectively, are rescue donkeys from Ireland. There were found abandoned and tied up in a shelter in the dark with neither food nor water. The Elizabeth Svendson Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, Devon became aware of their plight and brought them to the sanctuary in England along with other donkeys in a similar situation.

At the sanctuary, the staff took care of Ned and Jeremy and helped them to trust humans again until they were ready for a new foster home. The Trust always fosters donkeys in pairs as they have a propensity to form close bonds of friendship. They also bond well with other animals such as sheep and horses. A lone donkey tends to bray in the hope of a response from another donkey. A happy donkey is a quiet donkey!

Ned and Jeremy have four acres of grazing and a stable and a shelter. The stable and shelter are essential as, unlike a horse, donkeys do not have a natural build up of grease to make their coats waterproof; they need shelter from rain, wind and sun. Their feet are adapted to semi arid conditions, and they have to have a clean, dry surface on which to stand. They sleep standing up, so their feet must be kept clean and dry. Occasionally they lie down for a few minutes, but most of the time they are upright.

The donkeys need regular attention to their hooves and teeth, as well as annual injections. Daily activities such as grooming their coats, mucking out their stable, and ‘poo picking’ of their field keep their people busy for an hour or two every day. The sanctuary is very supportive of the foster homes of the donkeys. A Welfare Officer visits twice per year, and is always available to help with difficulties and to offer assurance. In the five years that Ned and Jeremy have been living in Lambourn, there have been no difficulties, no accidents, no illnesses. Long may it continue!

Ned and Jeremy eat grass all day long. They are always pleased to see us on our daily visits, and several times per week, we take them for a short walk outside the field. In winter, we give them hay once per day. They drink a lot of water from their buckets in the field. Once per day, we give them a little treat of carrots and a ginger biscuit. As they are vegetarians, they have to eat a lot. Ten kilogrammes of grass every day is normal.

The two donkeys are quite different characters. Ned is the calmer of the two, while Jeremy is always more suspicious and nervous. However, both are very affectionate and love attention, particularly from our grandchildren. They have quite exceptional calming and therapeutic qualities.

The Donkey Sanctuary in Devon is a lovely place to visit and of course they are always looking for more homes for donkeys, or for people to sponsor a donkey.

People quite often ask if Ned and Jeremy would like to take part in events such as nativity plays or fetes. However, we always say no. Although the donkeys are very docile, they are quite large animals and when confused by strange circumstances they can behave erratically, running around and sometimes kicking their legs up. For the safety of both the donkeys and people, it is best that they stay in their field. They always welcome visitors, especially if the visitor offers them a carrot!

More information about the Donkey Sanctuary

]]>https://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/rescue-donkeys-lambourn/feed/120249My Cat Diary by Nimbus – 13 Aprilhttps://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/7589/
https://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/7589/#respondMon, 13 Aug 2018 23:00:00 +0000http://pennypost.wpengine.com/?p=7589You haven’t heard from me recently. There’s a reason for that. I don’t know if you’d noticed but the last pieces were all about my weight. That’s all they wanted me to write about, like I had nothing else to say on any other subject. I thought this over and decided it just wasn’t on. […]

]]>You haven’t heard from me recently. There’s a reason for that. I don’t know if you’d noticed but the last pieces were all about my weight. That’s all they wanted me to write about, like I had nothing else to say on any other subject.

I thought this over and decided it just wasn’t on. We’re dealing here with an often overlooked problem, that of fatcat-ism. There’s been a lot about fat cats recently in the news as well as things called off-shore trusts. I wouldn’t trust anything ‘off-shore’ myself. I hate water. And about Panama, which is apparently a very thin country. You see what I mean? The persecution just keeps building.

We have every right to be any shape we want to be. As long as we can fit through the cat-flap, of course. And chase mice. And run up trees really quickly when the humans are looking which always makes them go ‘ahhhh!’ and reach up to stroke us whereupon we take a swift clawed swipe at their hand.

So, as long as we can do those things we shall not be dictated to and shall not tolerate having their images of the ideal feline form imposed upon us. If necessary, direct action must be taken to stamp out this discrimination.

The direct action I decided to take was to spend most of the last month asleep on the sofa. That’ll show them, I thought.

It was a bit boring at times I’ve got to admit – but sometimes you have to suffer for what you believe to be right.

Then last night, the female human told me that Alan from Oscars was coming round the following day with the ghastly weighing machine and could I write a few words as per usual?

No way, I said. Then she offered to pay me – two mice without being shouted at and a month off being brushed, which I hate – after which it seemed to be perhaps not such a bad idea. I made sure I got one of the mice in advance, went out and nabbed it there and then. Yum yum.

So, Alan came round and it turned out that I’d actually lost weight in the last six weeks – down to 5.6kgs from 6.2kgs in January, whatever that means.

I have to admit that thanks to Alan’s help I think I look pretty good in these pictures. Sleek, if you know what I mean. Well-toned. Even Mrs Vet will be impressed. And just look at that fur colour. The ideal feline form, I’d say. I think I might sign up to a modelling agency. But first I just want to ask…seriously – does my tail look fat? No, go on, you can be honest…

]]>https://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/7589/feed/07589Beekeeping in Mayhttps://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/beekeeping-in-may-2/
https://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/beekeeping-in-may-2/#respondMon, 13 Aug 2018 23:00:00 +0000http://pennypost.org.uk/?p=25344Thank goodness the beekeeping season is finally under way. After what was a long, cold and wet winter, followed by the “Beast from the East,” colony losses have been widespread. When the weather traps bees within a hive and they can’t access pollen provided by early flowering plants and trees they face an uphill battle. […]

]]>Thank goodness the beekeeping season is finally under way. After what was a long, cold and wet winter, followed by the “Beast from the East,” colony losses have been widespread. When the weather traps bees within a hive and they can’t access pollen provided by early flowering plants and trees they face an uphill battle. It is a very fine balancing act as older bees who have survived the winter naturally die off and brood rearing increases.

Still, we are now into May and enjoying warm sunny days. The oilseed rape is in full flower and the bees are piling in the nectar. Nectar has very high water content and the bees need to reduce the moisture until it becomes honey.

When a forager returns to the hive she unloads the nectar she has been carrying to a waiting house bee. The house bees pass the nectar around, adding enzymes to it and reducing the moisture content. Other bees switch on the hive ventilation system by fanning moist air out of the hive. You can hear and smell this particularly well in the evenings as warm, sweet scents are wafted out of the hive entrance. When the honey has reached the right viscosity and moisture content the cells in which it has been stored are capped with wax to preserve it.

Flowers and bees have evolved together over the millennia. Flowers need to be pollinated and so have developed to attract insects. The reward for pollination services is the nectar produced by the flower. Flowers and bees work together. There is no point in bees wasting energy on flowers that have already been pollinated. Some flowers send out signals to show when they have been pollinated. If you look at the centre of a forget-me-not flower there is a tiny yellow circle. Once the flower has been pollinated the yellow circle turns white. Chestnut tree flowers are a favourite for honey bees. Once pollinated the stamens turn red. The florets on white clover turn brown once pollinated. The pollen grains on a dandelion are the exact size to fit precisely in between the hairs (corbiculae) on the back legsof a honey bee.

All these little miracles of nature are happening around us every day. No wonder beekeeping becomes an obsession!

]]>https://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/beekeeping-in-may-2/feed/025344Local Dog with Allergies needs helphttps://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/local-dog-allergies-needs-help/
https://pennypost.org.uk/2018/08/local-dog-allergies-needs-help/#commentsMon, 13 Aug 2018 23:00:00 +0000http://pennypost.wpengine.com/?p=20473A PP reader enquires if anyone can help with his dog who suffers from allergies. Every summer the dog gets itchy paws but this summer is the worse yet. He chewed his legs until they bled and now has plastic lamp-shade collar as he has created a trauma on his hind leg. Very stressful. The […]

]]>A PP reader enquires if anyone can help with his dog who suffers from allergies.

Every summer the dog gets itchy paws but this summer is the worse yet. He chewed his legs until they bled and now has plastic lamp-shade collar as he has created a trauma on his hind leg. Very stressful. The vet has prescribed various lotions, potions, tablets, sprays etc that only sometimes work.

The dog has had a blood test which revealed he is allergic to trees. They try to walk him in areas with no pesticides but there is still so much pollen and other things in the air that can’t be avoided.

Does anyone else have pets with allergy problems and can offer any advice? Please comment below if you can help.